Colin Hanks is diving into John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary that will open the Toronto International Film Festival this year. He says Candy’s warmth can anchor a film, but the project aims to probe deeper than nostalgia, offering a portrait that wrestles with mortality as well as charisma.
Hanks notes the challenge of turning a beloved icon into a narrative with stakes. He wants more than a visual scrapbook; the film seeks a through-line that reveals what Candy’s public persona hid beneath the surface.
The project gained momentum after a nudge from Ryan Reynolds, the actor and Candy superfan. Hanks then reached out to Candy’s children, Chris and Jen, who favored a celebratory approach and became active in shaping the storytelling.
The director also reflects on his personal ties to Candy. He had a formative memory of Candy from the Splash set, which complicated the choice to revisit his life. Learning Candy grappled with living on borrowed time, a thread that resonates with Hanks’ own family history, sharpened the film’s emotional core.
A standout thread in the conversation is Candy’s humanity. Hanks discusses how a seemingly funny moment in The Great Outdoors can carry a quiet sadness, underscoring Candy’s ability to connect on a human level rather than simply performing for laughs.
Macaulay Culkin contributes a poignant element, describing how Candy made younger fans feel seen and valued. The actor’s reflections add texture to the film’s themes and remind viewers of Candy’s generosity off screen.
Hanks also touches on the film’s place in his career, noting the value of working with Candy’s family and the careful boundaries involved in exploring someone’s life. He emphasizes that consent and sensitivity guided the project from the start.
John Candy: I Like Me is poised to have its world premiere as TIFF’s Opening Night Gala, with Prime Video streaming the title beginning October 10.
Source: Original article
